Saturday, February 16, 2013

Ryan Howard is a Liar

The custom of interviewing star players when they arrive at Spring Training brought an interesting quote from Ryan Howard. When asked about his hitting skills against left-handed pitchers, he said the following...

“A lot of it was kind of mental. I told myself this winter,
I'm not even going to stress it or worry about it. I know it's in there.
I just have to let the inner me come out at the plate and be relaxed. I
have to trust myself, trust my ability, and let it fly. It's
a combination of listening to the noise and trying to please people.
People say, 'Oh, he can't hit lefties.' I have to show them I
can hit lefties. Obviously, to get to the big leagues you have to hit
lefties and righties. It's putting all that stuff aside and just
trusting my abilities. I know I can hit lefties. It's just a matter of
being relaxed.”

Aside from 2006, when pitchers still didn't know how to approach him, and 2010, he's been a poor hitter against lefties. At age 33, with deteriorating skills, I do not foresee much of a boost coming to his performance against them in 2013. But it's his lie, he can tell it how he wants.

Howard earned his pay check for most of his career, not not even remotely close last year. His contract sucks. I am not complaining about his earlier years when he was fairly compensated like all other young star players. I am bitching about the retarded money he is making now but not putting up the performance that warrants UT.

SirAlden- it doesn't matter how much he was "worth" in his first couple seasons, because all young players get paid peanuts at that stage, no matter their skill level.

He made record setting money during his seasons of arbitration. That is easily fair compensation.

I love those 276 homeruns and 850 RBI that you keep harping about, but it does not mean shit during his current contract. That was what he did, meaning past paychecks. What he does now is what matter, his current salary.

The Howard arguement is valid on both sides. You can love him or hate him. It is my opinion that he hasn't lived up to his full potentional. His work ethic is suspect and he has not adjusted to how pitchers pitch him. He doesn't lay off the junk and most of his homers come off of weak pitchers. He capitalizes on bad pitchers making bad pitches. I just wish from day one this year he would establish a strike zone and force the good pitchers to challenge him. A smart pitcher will never give him anything to hit. Why would they when they know he will chase. He could have been one of the best ever.

We all know how Howard-skeptic I am, but frankly I will be impressed if he bats .240 this season. I do think he will hit lots of home runs and RBIs. Essentially, I think best case scenario for Howard is the equivalent of a good season from Adam Dunn, and worst case is... well, a bad season from Adam Dunn.

Where is all the Utley hate? I am pretty sure he hasn't earned his paycheck in at least two years ad well. It is just a shame that Ryan didn't turn down that contract when it was offered two years before the Phils had to do anything like I am sure all the detractors would have.